Content analysis of the 20 most influential articles inPIQ

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine key research themes in human performance technology (HPT) through content analysis of the 20 most influential articles identified in Cho, Jo, Park, Kang, and Chen (2011). Three questions guiding this inquiry are: (1) What are the key themes of the 20 most influential articles in PIQ, (2) What information do the 20 most influential articles add to an understanding of HPT, and (3) What are the implications of the content analysis for HPT research practices? Five key themes emerged from the content analysis, including instructional design, HPT scholarship, performance technology, performance support, and transfer of training. HPT scholarship was the most distinctive key research theme in this study. The qualitative details about the 20 most influential articles were provided, related issues were discussed, and implications for research practice were articulated.

Concretising Design Thinking: A Content Analysis of Systematic and Extended Literature Reviews on Design Thinking and Human‐Centred Design

“…As an investigational technique, content analysis methodology dates back to the 18th century, and offers flexibility through the use of both quantitative and qualitative data (Obilade & Burton, ). This methodology has been used extensively for searching the literature (Obilade & Burton, ), and has been used successfully in examining design literature (Cho & Parks, ; Lee & Evans, ; Obilade & Burton, ; Goksu et al , ). Cho and Park () performed content analysis on twenty human performance technology articles published in the journal Performance Improvement Quarterly (PIQ) to investigate current themes.…”

“…This methodology has been used extensively for searching the literature (Obilade & Burton, ), and has been used successfully in examining design literature (Cho & Parks, ; Lee & Evans, ; Obilade & Burton, ; Goksu et al , ). Cho and Park () performed content analysis on twenty human performance technology articles published in the journal Performance Improvement Quarterly (PIQ) to investigate current themes. Goksu et al () also utilised content analysis when reviewing 113 articles written on instructional design models.…”

Human Performance Technology and HRD

“…A second issue with HPT is that, despite its focus on performance and on a broader range of solutions than training, the field remains focused on training, especially instructional design. For example, of the 20 most influential articles in the field by 2012, 8 (40%) focus solely on training or instructional design (Cho & Park, ). Earlier studies found, too, that the HPT literature maintains a primary focus on learning (Conn & Gitonga, ; Klein, ).…”

“…Furthermore, although research on HPT continues to be published, the earlier articles continue to dominate citations in the field. Cho and Park () found, for example, that 17 of the 20 top articles in the field were published before 2000.…”

Mapping human resource development: Visualizing the past, bridging the gaps, and moving toward the future

“…Although these reviews have been useful in advancing research in those specific areas, they have not facilitated a comprehensive overview of HRD research topic domains. Researchers have used citation analysis approaches, identified the highly cited articles, determined the volume of publications in HRD journals, and mapped the patterns of citations among HRD scholars (Y. Cho & Park, 2012; Jo et al, 2009). However, current reviews are limited in furthering our understanding of broad topic domains, the weight researchers have given to subjects, and the relationships among areas of study.…”